What is the Weather on Kilimanjaro?

The
short answer is that the temperatures on Mount Kilimanjaro range from hot
to bitter cold. The journey from the gate to the peak is like traveling
from the equator to Antarctica in a matter of days. This is because the
routes to the Uhuru peak cross different ecological zones. Mount Kilimanjaro
has five major ecological zones, each approximately 3,280 feet (1,000 m)
in altitude. Each zone is subject to a corresponding decrease in rainfall,
temperature and life as the altitude increases.

Moshi,
the gateway town from which our climbs are organized, is located just south
of the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. At 2,667 feet (900 m) above sea level,
the town is located in the lowest, warmest ecological zone. Average temperature,
humidity and precipitation figures for Moshi are reflected in the following
table.

Average
Temperature, Humidity and Precipitation in Moshi, Tanzania

Month

Low
(F)

Average
(F)

High
(F)

Humidity
(%)

Rainfall
(in)

January

64

78

92

58

1.4

February

64

78

92

57

2.0

March

66

78

90

63

4.7

April

67

76

85

73

13.8

May

65

72

79

77

9.3

June

62

70

78

72

1.5

July

60

69

78

69

1.0

August

60

70

80

66

0.7

September

60

71

83

61

0.6

October

62

75

88

57

1.0

November

64

76

89

57

2.5

December

64

77

90

60

2.1

As shown, January and February are the warmest months, April and
May are the wettest months, June and July are the coolest months, and August
and September are the driest months. These generalities about the weather
in Moshi hold true for Mount Kilimanjaro as well.

Due
to its proximity to the equator, Mount Kilimanjaro does not experience wide
temperature changes from season to season. Instead, the temperatures on
Mount Kilimanjaro are determined more so by the altitude and time of day.
At the beginning of the climb, at the base of the mountain, the average
temperature is around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius).
From there, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro's
ecological zones.

At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures
can range between 20 and -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 to -29 degrees Celsius).
Due to Mount Kilimanjaro's great height, the mountain creates its own weather.
It is extremely variable and impossible to predict. Therefore, regardless
of when you climb, you should always be prepared for wet days and cold nights.

Below
are the five zones from the lowest to the highest altitude along with the
average annual precipitation, zone characteristics, and links/feeds to the
current weather in each particular zone. (See What will I see on Kilimanjaro? 15 Amazing Sights.)

The
alpine desert receives little water and correspondingly light vegetation
exists here. The temperature can vary from over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
during the day to below freezing at night.Alpine
Desert Zone Weather

Arctic

Altitude:
16,500+ ft (5,000+
m)Precipitation:
<4 in (100 mm)

Characterized
by ice and rock, there is virtually no plant or animal life at this
altitude. Nights are extremely cold and the day's unbuffered sun is
powerful. The oxygen level is half that of sea level.Arctic
Zone Weather

What Gear Do I Need to Carry in my Day Pack?

You
are only required to carry items from your gear
list that you may need prior to reaching your next campsite.
A small to medium sized backpack, with a volume capacity of up to 2000 cu
in (30 liters), is appropriate. The specific items to carry generally depend
on the time to reach camp and trail and weather conditions. Typically, you
will have inside your daypack: waterproof gear, extra clothing, water, snacks,
gloves, hat, sunglasses, and other small items, such as bug repellent and sun screen.
Consult your guide if you are unsure of what you need. (See How Should I Pack the Day Pack?).

Everything
else should be placed into your duffel bag, which the porters will carry.
The weight limit of the duffel bag is 15 kgs. The porters will carry the duffel bag from campsite to campsite. Use plastic bags or dry bags
to separate and water proof your gear. You will be expected to pack your
daypack and duffel bag each morning. Note that it is acceptable to use a backpack instead of a duffel bag. However, since porters bundle the bag with other items and carry the load on their heads, a duffel bag is preferred.

Where Will I Sleep?

Climbers will sleep in state of the art, four-season mountain tents during the trek. Our Mountain Hardwear tents are warm, waterproof and roomy - perfectly suited for your Kilimanjaro adventure. We understand that some climbers are anxious about camping for so many days, so we aim to have them be as dry, warm and comfortable as possible.

Each three-person sized tent will comfortably house two
climbers and their gear. The interior floor space is 48 square feet, with a large vestibule, dual doors, and internal mesh pockets. The Trango 3 is a fully waterproof tent with fully taped seams and welded corners.

A 1.5 inch foam sleeping pad is provided to all climbers. These locally sourced sleeping pads are better than any commercially available sleeping pad. They are thick, warm and comfortable, even for those not used to camping. The pad is placed inside a washable cover for cleanliness.

The Lamina is long enough to fit someone 6' 6" tall, weighs 5 lbs 6 oz. and is temperature rated to -30F (-34C), more than sufficient even for Kilimanjaro's chilly nights. They are washed after every use and rented for only 10 trips before they are removed from the rental inventory.

What is a Typical Day's Schedule?

On
a typical day on the mountain, you will be awaken from your tent around
6:30 AM by your waiter/porter, who will bring you a warm pan of water to
wash your face and hands. Breakfast will then be served. Meals are served in a mess tent - complete with chairs, tables, dinnerware and silverware. After you assemble
your day pack, you will begin walking around 8:00 AM, while the porters stay
behind to clean up the campsite, and pack up the tents and other equipment.

While
the hours vary from day to day, your average walking time will be around
four to six hours per day. During the walk, your guide will decide the
pace and when to take a breaks depending on his assessment of the party's
performance. The porters consistently move ahead of the group in order to
prepare food, collect water, and set up tents so that everything is ready when
the party arrives. A hot lunch is served part way through your day's trek though on occasion a boxed lunch may be provided.

Once you arrive at the campsite, snacks are served. Then, before dinner, a pan of water is again provided for clean up. Dinner is served around 6:00 PM. The guide will discuss the next day's events with the group after dinner. Down time is spent chatting with your fellow climbers, staff and others sharing the campsite, reading, or otherwise relaxing.

Clients commonly express concern that they will be "too slow" and lag behind the guide and the rest of their group. This concern is unwarranted. Being slow is fine, and in fact, recommended. The guides set a very slow hiking pace to give everyone the best chance to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. People who are turned around on the mountain typically do so because they have succumbed to altitude sickness, not because they were physically too tired to keep up or continue.

Summit Day

Summit day is a tough, 11 to 16 hour day. This monumental effort is what makes climbing Kilimanjaro an achievement. It begins very early
as guides try to time their trekking party to reach Uhuru point
at sunrise. Climbers go to sleep after an early dinner the night before and are awaken around midnight to prepare for the summit attempt. After a light snack, climbers ascend in the darkness, cold and wind. It goes without saying that under
these conditions, climbing is difficult, especially on loose rock and up a very steep slope. Once you reach the summit, a short time is spent celebrating and taking photos, before returning to high camp, either Barafu or Kibo Hut. There, you eat lunch and regain your strength, before continuing the descent to a much lower camp. The long descent immediately after summiting is where most people get tired, due to the partial night's sleep, the expenditure of energy required to reach the top, and the particularly long distance covered that day. This is completely normal.

During the trek, it is common that someone may have to turn around on the mountain due to altitude sickness, exhaustion or a variety of other matters. Each group will have a lead guide, a number of assistant guides depending on the party size, and lead porters - all of whom are able to escort climbers down. Therefore, if a person cannot continue the ascent, one of the staff members will accompany this climber while the lead guide takes the group onward. The remaining party is unaffected and continues their climb as scheduled.

Altitude Acclimatization

How one reacts to high altitude is uncertain. Some people's bodies adjust
well to the decreased oxygen levels; others do not. Being physically fit and in good health, although helpful, is no guarantee of your ability to acclimatize. Therefore the best advice we can give is to take 7 or more days on the mountain and to follow our acclimatization guidelines.

There is a strong correlation between the amount of time spent on the mountain and the summit success rate.
Because the human body adapts to high altitude slowly, the more time it has, the better the chances of acclimatization. A successful summit is usually a question of how well a climber can
acclimatize to the high altitude, rather than the climber's ability to ascend.
By trekking standards, most of the day hikes on Kilimanjaro are not very strenuous. The big exception to this is the summit attempt, which requires a tremendous effort and is hard for nearly everyone. Climbers who acclimatize well to the altitude have a great chance of making it to the top.

What are the Trail Conditions?

The
trails on Mount Kilimanjaro are well marked and maintained. Technical skills
are not required on our routes. There are only a couple spots where scrambling
(climbing on hands and feet) is required, such as the Barranco Wall, the
Western Breach approach (now closed) and optional Lava Tower climb. The
path to and from Uhuru Point is on scree, which can be especially
tiring and slippery.

Bad
weather conditions can complicate matters. Climbers should be prepared to
trek through all types of weather, such as fog, rain, snow, and all types
of earth, whether loose, dusty, muddy, wet, snowy or icy.

There are "long drop" public toilets at every campsite. Essentially, they are wooden structures built around a deep hole dug into the ground. There are no commodes in the public toilets. You relieve yourself in a hole cut into the bottom of the shack in a standing or squatting position.Given the crowds on Kilimanjaro, these public toilets see a lot of use and therefore can get rather dirty.

Private toilets are included on all of our climbs. Private toilets consist of a plastic toilet and a privacy tent.

What Food and Water Will be Provided?

You
will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner each day spent on the
mountain. The food, specifically selected to help your climb, are
high energy carbohydrate foods that are easily digestible. The primary carbohydrate of the meals are rice, potatoes and pasta. Fresh fruit and vegetables accompany every meal. Meat is served on the mountain but not in large quantities because it is not easily digestible at high altitude and nor does it keep well on the mountain. We resupply the team with fresh food throughout the climb.

Water is collected from mountain streams and treated with Aquatabs® water purification tablets. Water is provided only at the campsites so you need to carry enough water, usually about 3 liters, to stay hydrated while you hike.

Below
are sample menus for your three meals:

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Tea,
Coffee, Hot Chocolate

Tea,
Coffee, Hot Chocolate

Tea,
Coffee, Hot Chocolate

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

Toast,
Biscuits with Margarine, Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey

Bread,
Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey

Bread,
Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter, Honey

Eggs,
Sausages or Bacon

Chicken Curry, Rice, Chapati, Green Beans

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Porridge or Pancakes

Snack:
Peanuts, Popcorn, Cake, Cookies

Potatoes,
Rice, Pasta

Fresh
Fruit: Mango, Orange, Pineapple, Banana, Avocado or Watermelon

Fresh
Salad: Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Carrots, Green Peppers

Fresh
Vegetables: Carrots, Peas, Tomato, Beans, Greens

You
may want to bring some supplementary "comfort" foods, such as
candy, gum, chocolate, health bars or powdered energy drinks.

We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets. For those with special diets, please contact us to discuss what we can or cannot do. Note that food selection is limited in Tanzania, so although we will try to please all clients, in some cases clients will be asked to bring their specific food items to us, which our cooks will prepare.

What are the Accommodations Before and After the Climb?

We provide hotel accommodations before and after climbing Kilimanjaro. Our standard hotel is the Stella Maris Lodge located in Mailisita village, on the outskirts of Moshi. This simple, clean hotel is about 25 minutes by vehicle from Kilimanjaro International Airport.

The amenities at the hotel includes:

^
Telephone services

^
Satellite television

^
Rooftop bar/restaurant

^ Air conditioning

^
Wifi internet access

^
Laundry services

^ Mosquito nets

^
Safe deposit box

^
Locked storage facilities

The Stella Maris is a non-profit hotel, and all income from the lodge goes towards the adjacent Stella Maris Primary School for orphaned and underprivileged children. We encourage all visitors to tour the school, meet the children and learn about the project.

Teddy Chuwa is the beloved manager at Stella Maris Lodge and will make you feel at home with her warm smile and big heart.

In some instances, this hotel may be unavailable and we will provide accommodations at comparable hotels in Moshi. Not all amenities are available at every hotel.